Liquid dispensing unit with vented trap



Jan. 15, 1952 .1. HARR LIQUID DISPENSING UNIT WITH VENTED TRAP -2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed July 22, 1949 il s! i?.

JESSE HARR Patented Jan. l5, 1952 '-UN1TED STATES VPl'sxrl'sN'r OFFICE LIQUID DISPEN SING NIT WITH VENTED TRAP Jesse Harr, South Orange, N. J. Application July 22, 1949, Serial No. 106,190

This invention deals with valves for dispensing-H liquids and to valves vwhich measure out apredetermined volume of liquid and then allow dispensing of said measured amount. Suchvalves are particularly valuable in dispensing sirups for soft drinks, cream for beverages,- liquid soapy' and the like.

The valves of the present invention are of simple construction, are very easy to clean, and

Y certain ones may measure out, fairly accurately,n l

Lthe required volume of liquid, and they are self'` f emptying when in dispensing position.

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the drawing in which Figure l is an isometric -view of the complete 'measuring and 15 dispensing valve assembly installed, on the coun-* ter of a drug store, for example. A cross-sectional side view of the dispenser base, holding the liquid reservoir or container, together with' a side view of the valve and tubular connection with the .20 reservoir are illustrated in Figure 2,`while Fig-r ure 3 shows a vertical cross-section'view of the measuring and dispensing valve, the side view'of which is'shown in Figure 2. A top view of another modication of a dispensing valve is shown v in Figure 4, while Figure 5 depicts a side view of vthe same valve. Similar numerals refer to similar parts in theV vario'us figures. v

Referring again to the drawing, numeralv I lrepvresents a beaker-shaped container, preferably of 4'stainless steel vor other durable, corrosion-resistant material, having an outwardly'curved lip 2, acting as a support for the container, and a Y centrally disposed opening 4 in bottom 3, to which is Welded or silver-soldered tube 5, preferably of the same material andshaped to project parallel l)to vthe counterr4I forf lsome distance 5, thence downwardly'in a U-shaped curve 6 which terminates at platel to which it is soldered.

Base plate 'I `of the valve is provided with two 4o openings, 36 '(into which leads feed tube 6), andA 42 into which is fitted and weldeddischarge tube I9 having discharge or vdispensing opening 39. Base plate 1 also' has punched ont near its edges,

preferably three, equidistantlyV spaced bent 45 bayonet clips II which fit into elongated holes I2 invlip 9 and cap I0 and which act as fastening means holding the base plate and cap together. Rubber or plastic gasket 8 is disposed between plate 1 and lip 9, acting as sealing means 50- between the two surfaces Whicht against it with a friction t. Gasket 8 is provided with two holes superimposed over tube outlets 36 and 42.

Cap I0 is an inverted cup-shaped hollow member, carrying flaredl lip 9 which carries .punched `g55 openings I2 through which bayonet clips II'are inserted and, upon turning of cap I0 in a direction opposite to that of the bent prongs II, they effect a tight locking of the cap to base plate 'I.

In the top of cap I0 is centrally disposed, in-

3 claims. (01; "222442) j through.

' ternally flared opening 34 into which is inserted hollow cylindrical bearing -or guide tube 40 which lis soldered to the ilare34 and which houses oscil- "latable shaft I5. The lower end 43 of tube' 40 is disposed high enough' to clear flat valve plate 29 which is attached to shaft I5 at its center and which servesto direct the flow of liquid by way of hole which is disposed in plate 29 in juxtaposition with entrance opening 36 or exit opening 42 (whichever is desired). When'hole 35 is over opening 36 (as in Fig. 3)liquid from tube 6 enters space "30'V until the level of the liquid reaches the level of the liquid in container I. 4--A vent'tube I8 of small diameteris disposed in the upper part of cap I0 to allow egress of air which is displaced by liquid entering cap I0. Vent I8 'is higher than the liquid level in container Iso that no spillage of liquid can occury there- When shaft I5 is turned until handle I6 touches stop rvI'I disposed on cap I0., hole 35 is lin juxtaposition with opening 42 and the liquid then discharges through outlet 39.

Helical spring 3 I is inserted over tube Iii and serves to` impress athrust on top I3 of cap I0 and onvalve plate29, thus keeping plate 29 tightly against rubber gasket 8. Also, shaft I 5 is pro- 1 vided with one or several O-ring gaskets 32 which are seated in circumferential grooves 3,3 made on the surface of shaft I5. These gaskets serveY to prevent'leakage of liquid past shaft I5.- Handle .I6 has one end provided with a tapered thread for attaching it to shaft I5.

Q Container I, tube 5 and valve I0 act as anfin- After container I and attached valve III are in :place in base 22 (which ispreferably of light metal suchias aluminum, magnesium, or their l .,alloys), theY assembly is attached to counter 4I by turning thumb screw 28 in arm 26 of extension25, until ilat swivel 21 is tight against the bottom of counter 4I, as are the bottom surfaces of base 22.

` Then, bottle 45, containing the liquid to be dispensed, is inserted in inverted position inconytainer I, and ornamental cover 38 is slipped over dispenser base 22 (with projecting finsZI acting as 'guides and supports therefor). The unit is l'then ready for'the measuring and dispensing operation. To effect this, the operator turns handle I6 until hole 35 in valve plate 29 vis over opening L 36, in which case the liquid fills space` I0. Then, r.handle I6 is turned until opening 35 is over 42, whereupon the liquid discharges through tube I 9 and outlet 39. The operation is repeated for' successive measured volumes of liquid.

3 The volume of liquid dispensed may be controlled bythe diameter of valve I and height thereof. V"In the Ycasefof dispensing perishable liquids,f'such as cream, container I maybe made of hollow evacuated vacuum-jar design, and the dispenserbase, may be provided with insulated,

cooling jacket containing crushed iceor refrigerating coils.

Instead of vent I8 for discharging the air dissv placed by the liquid entering the valve, kit is pos-Y sible to employ a return line from tube I8 to.5f

the air space58 of bottle or reservoir 45, in which case tube 5 could be connected directly ,to liquid reservoir 45. Also, it iswpossible to eliminate tube I'and drill la hole 'through plate 1, gasket 8,Vv plate 29`and upshaftl to a point near the top ofgcap shaft I 5 withincap I0, joining the aforesaid hole, thus ventingl theair therethrough from the inside of cap III, through a tube soldered in base plate 'I (at thel hole outlet) and into lthe air space of-the reservoir. `f Y Thumbscrews 55 may bedisposed side Wall 56 of 'dispenser base22, tightened against the` Y outer wall of container I to anchor samein said dispenser base'. 5 rIhree of-such screws are preferablyvused. f

. Thek valve sl'iowninFigures 4 and 5 is einployed only for dispensing a multiplicity of liquids, suchas flavored Sirup andsod'a Water,

or tea or coffee and water and cream; Invfthis particular valve, the body design-is 'similar to Y that shown in Fig. 3T, but shaft lI5Y 'ispulled out- Wardly through opening I4, thus separating valve plaie YV29' '(which, murev plate as, has no holes) opening` 46 in base plate 9, and out throughv d ischarge pipe I9' located inthe side lofY capIIJ. .Ajlso, it allows the simultaneous flow of fsoda f water-'from smaller inletv tube 5I, through hole Min base plate 9 into space'3ll of the capand out through discharge'pipelg" with'thesir'up. A. mixing action takes placeagainst the gasketefd face of valve plate 29 which coversopenir'igs 46 and .41. When pressure ontogg-l'e -handleIli is released, coil vspring 3|' impresses its thrustaction. on plate 29 and shuts oif the flow of liquids through lines 5G and 5I. Any number of 4openings maybe made in 'plate' 1 for dispensing simultaneously any desired number of liquids. j i

Toggle hanfilley I6 is pivoted at 48 oitmounting Y 49. attached 'to top I3of cap I). Toggle end 52 of handle I6 is spneri'ca1 'in shape anais disposed loosely in al similarly shaped recess 53 in the top section of Shaft I5.

. i AThe juriuzi'iul'rey of cap lip 9 with base plate '1 is sealed. againstieakage with. gasket s', and ups 1 are provided Withbayonet lips 'II fitting in openings. I2. Also, "as the case ofthe valve in Fig. 3, shaft I5' is 'sealed in cylinder '45 againstliquid leakagerby O-ring gasket 32 in groove 33 in the wall of shaft I5. i In order to insure complete filling-ot cap "I0 in Fig. f2, particularly vwhen the liquid level in container LI is low, itis preferable to keep the top I3 of cap Ibelow bottom 3 oi container I;

moving said shaft and said plate into openor 4 Y Y It will be observed that the valves of the present invention are simple in design and require Vno .tols'butoly aturn o' litlie Wrist for disassembly 'and cleaning.

I claim: 1. A liquid dispensing unit comprising a flat base havingat least two openings radially disposed around a center, a resilient gasket on said base and having an open area in juxtaposition withgthe openings on said base, an inverted-cup shaped cap mounted over said gasket, a flat lip projecting from the edge of said cap adjacent the .gasket in parallel relation to said base, fastening means for removably fastening said cap onto said base and tightly against said gasket, a-ecentrally disposed opening in-thetop -of said cap, a cylindrical tube having one end attached to saidropening and disposed within saidY cap-,ga s ,haftdisposed` withinsaid tube in:A liquid sealing relation thereto and having oneend protruding out of said cap,

a flat plate attached at its center toftheend of saidshaft disposed Within said cap and of width largev enough, to cover saidopenings in said gasket, an opening in said plate superimposable over one of the openings in the gasket by rotation of said plate, springmeans around said ytubeinside saidcap for impressing a thrust upon said Vplate against said base openings, a long, ysmall diameter vent tube projecting from the top of ysaid cap, exteriorly 'disposed movingmeansfor closed position and comprising a handle on. that end of the shaft protruding out Vof the top of said cap,and Capable of rotating said shaft and said plate, a discharge outletin said base below v one ofl the openings inthegasket to serve as a discharge for the contentsin-.said c ap, a transfer tube attachedy to the opening in theabase; other than medisch-arge opening, and a vertically disposed liquidcontainer iai'iaclfiedI to theother end otsaid tube for feeding liquid therethrough.

2. A liquid dispensing unitaccording to claim 1 in which the containerY is aybeaker-shaped selfcentering vessel, and afhollow,A open top, dispenserrbase, mountable to a counter and having a vertical narrow openingv inits Wall for accommodating saidtransfer tube, said hollowdispenser vbas serving to hold said containen 3. ,A liquid dispensing unit accordingto clair-n2 in which the outer suriace ofrsaid dispensing-base has vertically disposed projecting ribs, and a thin Y hollow shell, openy at the, bottom-fitting tightly over said ribs, acting as a coverxtherefor.

I 1 JESSE itEFEImNCls's CITED The following references are* of record in the flle of this patent: 

